Travel medicine
Travel medicine or emporiatrics is the branch of that deals with the prevention and management of health problems of international ers. Globalization and travel Globalization facilitates the spread of disease and increases the number of travelers who will be exposed to a different health environment. Major content areas of travel medicine include the global of health risks to the traveler, , prevention, and pre-travel counseling designed to maintain the health of the approximately 600 million international travelers. It has been estimated that about 80 million travelers go annually from developed to developing countries. Mortality and morbidity studies indicate that accounts for most deaths during travel (50–70%), while and follow (~25%). accounts for about 2.8–4% of deaths during/from travel. studies suggest that about half of people from a developed country who stay one month in a developing country will get sick. is the most common problem encountered. Disciplines The field of travel medicine encompasses a wide variety of disciplines including , , , , high altitude , travel related , , , military and migration medicine, and . Special itineraries and activities include travel, , mass gatherings (e.g. the ), and /remote regions travel. Travel medicine can primarily be divided into four main topics: (vaccination and travel advice), assistance (dealing with and medical treatment of travelers), (e.g. high-altitude medicine, cruise ship medicine, expedition medicine, etc.) and access to health care, provided by . Focus Travel medicine includes pre-travel consultation and evaluation, contingency planning during travel, and post-travel follow-up and care. Information is provided by the WHO that addresses health issues for travelers for each country as well as the specific health risks of air travel itself. Also, the publishes valuable and up-to-date information. Key areas to consider are vaccination and the seven I's: # Insects: s, s, # Ingestions: safety of , food # Indiscretion: , # Injuries: avoidance, , safety around animals # Immersion: # Immunization (pre-travel vaccination) # : coverage and services during travel, access to Specific disease problems is endemic to certain areas in Africa and South America. The CDC site delineates the risk areas and provides information about vaccination and preventive steps. is endemic in the tropical meningococcal belt of Africa. Vaccination is required for pilgrims going to . Detailed information is available on the CDC site. prevention consists of preventing or reducing exposure to mosquitos by using screened rooms, air-conditioning, and nets, and use of repellents (usually ). In addition, chemoprophylaxis is started before travel, during the time of potential exposure, and for 4 weeks ( , , or ) or 7 days ( / or ) after leaving the risk area. See detailed CDC site. Medication kit The traveler should have a medication kit to provide for necessary and useful medication. Based on circumstances, it should also include malaria prophylaxis, s, and medication to combat . In addition, a basic can be of use. Studies have shown there are four main medical problems that travellers develop—diarrhoea or gut problems, respiratory problems, wounds and pain. The medical kit should at least address these common things. Research has also shown that the best treatment for travellers diarrhoea is to take an antibiotic (e.g. ) plus a stopper (e.g. ). Due to bacterial resistance, different parts of the world require different antibiotics. It is best to consult a travel doctor to sort out the best medical kit for the exact destination and medical history of the person travelling. References Category:Travel